Sep 292010
 

Today at about 4:55PM, Koshka, my companion for about the last ten years, died peacefully in my arms at the veterinary hospital.

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I am probably going to be less available for a little while.

 Posted by at 5:48 pm

  38 Responses to “Koshka was a good cat”

  1. Well that sucks. (not very good at the condolence thing)

  2. Oh, I’m so sorry. I lost both of mine in the last two weeks, ages 19 and 20. It hurts.

  3. They’re all in that place where there are plenty of sunbeams to lay in and the mice don’t run very fast.

    Condolences

  4. I’m truly sorry to hear about your loss.

  5. You have my sympathies.

  6. I am very sorry. I went through this with one of my dogs a few weeks ago. Take care.

  7. That’s awful. I’m so sorry.

  8. I will miss Koshka
    my Condolences

  9. I’m sorry to hear about your loss, Scott.

  10. sorry about your car scot i had to bury quit afew of my own over the years and it never gets esier

  11. That’s really sad.
    It’s a tragedy that both cats and dogs have so much shorter of lifespan than the people that dearly love them, and indeed about the time you’ve really figured out how to fully understand where they are coming from, and they have figured out where you are coming from… then they are gone.
    At least Koshka got to die in the arms of someone who loved her.
    We should all be that blessed and lucky.
    Again, my thoughts and understanding for your loss are with you.

  12. My condolances as well. I remember losses of pets myself when I was younger.

  13. I too am so sorry to hear of your loss. Hang in there.

    -D

  14. :`(

  15. My deepest sympathies.

  16. I’m very sorry to hear that. Losing a pet is always tough. Take care, and hope you feel better soon.

  17. Her last memories are peacefull dozeing off smelling you the best smell in the universe and beibg warmly held. No greater gift could you give.

  18. Scott, I just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear of your loss. Those who say “only a cat” do not understand how cats have their own personalities and characters. Here’s hoping that you can move on and be happy – Koshka wouldn’t want you to grieve forever.
    All the best,
    Grif

  19. Cats are like (and often more than) good friends.
    When a friend fly away is always a sad sad day…..

    Really sorry for that Scott.

    Giuseppe

  20. I guess this is the closest some of us will get to experience the emotions of when a parent loses a child. People who don’t have cats or don’t interact with them usually say things like they are independent solitary animals that only interact with people when they want to.

    Jennyanydots, my companion I got from a shelter at six weeks was always there when I got home, followed me everywhere, was always sitting on me when she could and would always look me in the eyes and talk to me, and I knew what all of her vocalizations and body language ment.

    In a wat I was lucky that when I got sick and she couldn’t be with me, the lady who runs the cat hotel where she was staying adopted her because she was so friendly and always rode on her shoulders to keep away from the vacuum monster she had to use each day to keep the hotel clean.

    She’d be about 23 right now and I haven’t called in a while happier with the thought that she just passed away in her sleep surrounded by all her feline guests and her Mom.

    The second worst day of my life was when I ran over my own cat that I rescued from being run over on a major road in L.A. when she was just a few weeks old. She was dying in my arms and I was screaming, Ian drove us to the vet but she was gone.

    I don’t know if it’s possible to keep the shot that painlessly puts a pet to sleep, but if your pets in distress its the best but hardest thing you’ll ever have to do.

    One of the huge advantages cats have over humans is they don’t seem to have a concept of religion. I think it’d be cool to see reality from a cats p.o.v.

  21. In a way I was lucky..

  22. My condolences Scott.

  23. I’m sorry, my condolences…

  24. Awful. I’m really sorry to hear it.

  25. Very sad news. My condolences.

  26. Scott,

    I’m so sorry. I had to put down my Rottweiler of 8 years, Isis, back in July. The alternative would have left in more pain and probably would’ve done more damage than good. She left this world peacefully in my arms too.

    I know what you’re going through, man.

    Stay strong.

  27. I’m sorry, Scott.

    Jim

  28. So sorry to hear this. My sincere condolences.

  29. Thanks for all your comments. The last day has been really rough… I’ve been trying to bury myself in work, but every now and then I can almost hear her voice echoing through the house (she liked to find a secluded corner and “sing” loudly at the walls). And then I can’t work anymore.

    She was a good cat. Not the cheeriest, not the friendliest, not the fluffiest or most playful; generally somewhat introverted. But she was a perfect match for me. She was with me through some pretty rough times; and whenever I was particularly upset or deathly ill, she would be right there, curled up as close as she could get to my face.

    By the end, it was clear that she was unhappy and in pain. Her kidneys had just about failed; the best the vet could offer was a few more months, filled with pain… and to get those months, she’d have to undergo daily IV treatments that would hurt and terrify her. She spent her earliest days being terrified by humans… she was a rescue shelter adoption, and it was clear that she had seen things that cats should not see. As a hint, she recognized firearms, and was terrified of them. So the idea of filling her remaining days with pain and more terror just seemed like cruelty. I did the best I could with what options I had, and I still feel like I failed her badly.

    She understood me. And Bast knows why, she liked me. I think that, insofar as a cat can love a human, she loved me. And I loved her, and miss her terribly.

  30. Sorry to hear about this Scott. It’s never easy to lose a cat.

  31. Very sorry to hear Scott. 🙁
    May ten years of happy memories help you to fill the void.

  32. […] few days back (just before things went to hell out here), I recieved some photos and a first-hand account of the delivery of external tank ET-122 (which […]

  33. Scott, DO NOT IN ANY WAY FEEL LIKE YOU FAILED HER!!!

  34. There’s reason, logic and cool analysis of the hard facts… and there’s “feeling.” The concepts don’t always line up. One can know that one did the best possible under the conditions; but at the same time one can feel like crap for the conditions to have driven things to those ends, even if the conditions were not under one’s control.

  35. Sorry for the late post Scott I’ve been MIA. You are of course totally correct, no matter the reason, the logic, or the facts you end up feeling like shit over the decision you made no matter the outcome.

    I grieve for your loss, I salute the your courage.

    I personally have managed to “dodge-the-bullet” of having to make this decision and I hope I’m at LEAST as strong and careing as you were for Koshka when it does come my “turn” in the bullseye. Remember the good times, reflect on the bad times, but focus on the love for it will always be with you.

    Randy

  36. Scott! Sorry for the miss, and our condolences for Koshka. We have lost two cats this summer, both to cars, and it is never easy to lose one, especially a cat who has been with you that long. She is snoozing in the warm sun and dreaming of the hunt now.

    At least you can transfer a bit of that love to Buttons/Scruff, he certainly can use it! Even if he is whomping on all the locals for entertainment.

  37. Scruffy, sadly, is going to have to go away. He is *way* too aggressive… such as attacking the neighbors cats.

    He’s not *my* cat, so he’s not my responsibility, but there is a mood about to simply shoot him. I’d catch him and take him to a shelter, except there’s no such thing as a shelter that could do anything for him except put him down… he’s unadoptable. Just about the only thing I can think of is trapping him and releasing him in the woods, miles away.

    Buttons disappeared about a month ago. I figured he was either dead or run off by Scruffy… but then he magically re-appeared yesterday, trotting in from the direction of the neighbors barn. And looking *really* well-fed. I believe he’s found a good place to be.

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